All Hallow’s Eve

“Halloween comes down to us from the pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, held October 31, the last autumn night before the cold and bleakness of winter. On this night-considered the Celtic New Year-the Druids believed that the supernatural world drew closer to the physical world, so human beings were more susceptible to the power and influence of the unseen. Magic spells could be cast more easily, divination was more revealing and dreams held special significance.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy